Tugger's Daughter
by ktCatsbone
Summary: After breaking out of his shell, Tugger breaks his best friend's heart. Later he must face the consequences when a new kitten shows up at the Junkyard Tugger/OC and later OC/Mungojerrie Rated for Mild Language Violence and Sexuality
1. Adulthood interrupted

Chapter one: Adulthood Interrupted

"Lillypaw, I don't think I can do this," Tugger murmured, pawing the ground nervously.

"Tugger, you have no right to call yourself a Jellicle cat," Lillypaw snorted, rolling her eyes and letting her tail sweep casually over Tugger's waist.

"Don't do that," Tugger growled, but a smile twitched the corner of his mouth. He glanced at the sinking sun and knew soon the Jellicle moon would by high in the sky like a glowing cat eye. Tugger had turned a year old a couple of months ago and tonight was going to be his first Jellicle ball since he was a kitten. He fluffed his mane and swallowed deeply. Tonight would be the first time he ever danced in front of everybody and he felt like he was going to faint.

"Show some backbone Tugger," Lillypaw teased, "Anyway, I don't think I've ever seen a more handsome tom. You can't even tell that you found that belt in a dumpster."

Tugger blushed scarlet as he gingerly tapped the silver belt he had cinched around his waist. The belt had enticed him when he had spotted it in the junkyard, so he had snatched it. Apart from the belt, he was wearing the spiked collar he had always worn.

"The belt won't help my dancing Lillypaw," Tugger chuckled nervously, "I'll probably just step forward and fall flat on my face."

"For the love of Heavyside," Lillypaw growled, she was getting annoyed, "Tugger as soon as you dance for everyone, you'll love it."

"That's easy for you to say, you've been dancing before you could walk," Tugger retorted, swiping playfully at her side.

Lillypaw dodged it and gave Tugger an adoring look. Lillypaw and Tugger had been best friends since they were born. Lillypaw was a Turkish Angora, with a thick gray coat and a black spot covering her right eye. She was the rebellious one of the two and was trying to get Tugger out of his shell. Tugger was a Main Coon with a black body, leopard spots on his chest and a thick golden mane surrounding his face. Tugger wanted to be like Lillypaw, but something always seemed to hold him back.

"Tugger, you will dance beautifully, we've practiced so hard; I know we can do it." Lillypaw snuggled against Tugger's shoulder, "Now come on, let's get ready."

Lillypaw slunk off the roof of the truck they had been sitting on and began creeping across the junkyard. Tugger followed her and found himself staring at her bottom. He shook his head and frowned. Ever since he had turned one, he had really begun noticing the other queens, particularly Lillypaw. She was just so pretty and kind and always tried to help him.

Suddenly, Tugger heard the resounding voice of his brother, Munkustrap, echoing through the junkyard and he knew it was time for the ball to begin.

* * *

The Ball started with a nervous Munkustrap, taking over his father's duties of announcing the purpose of the ball and the purpose of a cats three names. But after that Tugger just let his mind wander as other cats danced and sung. But when the ball really kicked into high gear, Tugger did as well. With Lillypaw at his side, Tugger flew across the Junkyard, shaking his mane and his rear. All the older cats were impressed and the other kittens that had just become adults were rubbing their eyes and making sure they were actually looking at shy little Tugger.

Lillypaw couldn't have been happier for her friend, but then she began to notice that the other young queens were extremely interested in Tugger. Bombalurina in particular kept nudging her slightly to one side so she could dance next to him. When the queens danced together, Lillypaw made sure to step hard on Bombalurina's paws.

Then the music started to slow down. The tomcats began approaching the queens they desired, purring sweet serenades in their ears. Lillypaw caught Tugger's eyes and he sauntered forward.

"Who are you and what have you done with my friend Tugger?" Lillypaw whispered, grinning.

"He's gone for good, Lillypaw," Tugger smiled, rubbing his paws gently along her sides. She purred and arched her pelvis toward him. Tugger nuzzled her neck, then traced her ear with his tongue. Lillypaw nearly cried out loud and Tugger lifted her up over his shoulder, her legs spread with her head leveled with the middle of his back.

Lillypaw was in ecstasy. Neither one of them had ever experienced feelings like this before. Tugger lowered her onto his shoulder and stroked her inner leg. Her leg twitched a little bit and she felt her eyes start to roll. He then lowered her toward the ground and laid her across another cat's back. Tugger scratched his paws across her chest and Lillypaw moaned deeply. She wanted more and was thrilled when Tugger spread her on the floor and positioned himself like the other tomcats in the group. He smiled and Lillypaw saw the tomcat where the kitten used to be and she braced her paws against the ground.

Suddenly there was a loud bang and Lillypaw swiveled her head in time to see Munkustrap go flying across the junkyard! He struck an old refrigerator and slumped to the ground. Tugger leapt up and ran to his brother's side, but Lillypaw looked to where Munkustrap was only moments before. Demeter was lying on her back and trembling with fear, for Munkustrap and Tugger's younger brother, Macavity was taking Munkustrap's position on top of her.

"No," she whimpered, "I don't want you, I love Munkustrap." She tried to swipe his face, but Macavity held her paw's down. He began to lick her neck as he braced her hips with his pelvis. She tried to squirm, but it was futile; he was just too strong.

The ball was at a standstill. The other cats had stopped what they were doing and staring in shock. No cat had ever attacked another in the middle of the mating dance before. It was unheard of.

Tugger was growling with anger as he helped his older brother up. Munkustrap had a deep cut across his face and was gripping his side, but he was livid. He stumbled toward Macavity, claws extended, but Macavity spread his paws and lightning flew toward his brother. Munkustrap rolled out of the way and lay panting on the ground. Old Deuteronomy stepped down from the ledge he had been sitting on and approached his son.

"Macavity, you are breaking a Jellicle law," he said in his deep voice.

"Go suck a rat's tail father," Macavity snarled, "You can't tell me what to do. I could send you to Heavyside with one jolt, so I'd advise you to let me f- "

Suddenly with a cry, Bombalurina flew through the air and struck Macavity in the side, knocking him over. Demeter scrambled up and ran to Munkustrap, who was still on the ground. With a roar, Macavity launched himself at Bombalurina, but Skimbleshanks blocked him. Macavity dug his claws into Skimbleshanks's side, only to be attacked on the other side by his own father. Old Deuteronomy lifted his son up by the back of the neck and held him at arms length, as though he was a decomposing carcass.

"You are not allowed back in this junkyard, Macavity!" he thundered, "I have been too lenient with you and now you are ruining the most sacred night of the year. Leave and never return."

He dropped Macavity on his face, which happened to be right on a cheese grater. Macavity howled in pain, deep gouges on every inch of his face.

"I'll be back, make no mistake," he leered at Demeter, who was crouched down over Munkustrap, "I haven't finished with you Demeter. One way or another you will be mine."

"Never," Demeter snarled and Munkustrap hissed as he draped an arm protectively over her.

Macavity just laughed and slunk off into the darkness.


	2. Letting the True Tom Out

Chapter two: Letting the true tom out

After Macavity had left, the Mating dance did not continue. The cats merely sat in silence, in shock at what had happened. Lillypaw slithered under Tugger's arm and quivered. Bombalurina sat next to Demeter, who clutched Munkustrap's paw as Jennyanydots examined the cut on his face and pain in his side.

Finally, Munkustrap rose to his feet. Everybody cheered and the ball could continue. Tugger danced his heart out and Lillypaw danced with him, thrilled at the tom he had become. But toward the end, as they celebrated Simon Samson's journey to the Heavyside layer, Bombalurina knocked Lillypaw over so she could dance with Tugger. He looked surprised but just kept dancing, but Bombalurina didn't want that. She shimmied up against him as the fog flowed from the heavens. Lillypaw was furious, but there was nothing she could do. It would be foolish to make a scene at such an important moment, so she merely glared at Bombalurina for the rest of the ball.

When it was over, the cats slunk off to find a place to sleep. Lillypaw headed toward the pipe, but Tugger ran up and took her paw. "Come with me," he whispered.

Lillypaw followed Tugger as he led her up on top of the hood of the truck where they had been sitting earlier. A faint pinkish glow was just starting to appear on the horizon.

"Thank you Lillypaw," Tugger smiled, "Without you, I never would have discover how to live life to the fullest."

Lillypaw sniffed.

"What?" Tugger asked, nuzzling her shoulder.

"Well, it seems to me that Bombalurina taught you more than I did."

"Oh that's mouse shit, you're the one I picked to dance with, right?" Tugger bit lightly on her neck.

Lillypaw purred and snaked her arms around Tugger's shoulders.

"Are we making up for being interrupted?" she asked, breathing in his ear.

"You could say so," he answered, licking down her neck, across her chest.

Lillypaw moaned and spread herself out, across the hood of the truck. Tugger positioned himself between her legs and suddenly the junkyard was filled with moans, purrs, growls, swearing and panting.

Lillypaw dug her claws into Tugger's back as it ended and thought she heard from somewhere a chink of breaking metal.

Tugger rolled off her and lay on his side, stroking her silky gray fur.

"Lillypaw, I think I love you," he whispered.

She gasped. She had longed to hear those words for a long time now. She nuzzled into Tugger's fluffy chest and purred, "I love you too Tugger."

He wrapped his arms around her and they both started drifting off to sleep.

"You made a tom out of me Lillypaw," Tugger murmured in her ear before she dozed off, "I'll never forget you."

* * *

Lillypaw woke up alone. She looked around, rubbing her eyes, trying to see some sign of Tugger. But the only sign he had ever actually been there was a single silver spike lying next to her on the roof of the truck. She picked up the spike and looked at it, realizing it must have caused the noise last night. But Lillypaw was more interested in locating the wearer of the collar, so she jumped off the truck and headed toward the center of the junkyard.

As Lillypaw got closer, she heard the sound of someone singing. Staying hidden she poked her head around the corner and gasped. There was Tugger, standing on top of a heap of junk, crooning to a group of queens circled below him.

"Ladies," he purred, "Rum Tum Tugger is a curious cat. If you offer me pheasant, I'd rather have grouse."

The queens squealed and clawed the air in front of him.

"If you put me in a house," he continued, hopping down, "I would much prefer a flat. If you put me in a flat then I'd rather have a house." He went over to Cassandra and scratched her behind the ears. Cassandra giggled franticly and leaned her whole head into his open paw. Tugger chuckled and nudged her slightly to one side.

"If you set me on a mouse, then I only want a rat," Tugger rocked his pelvis from side to side, causing another uproar of mewing, "If you set me on a rat then I'd rather chase a mouse." He tickled Tantomile under the chin and her serious demeanor melted away as she keeled over backwards in a dead faint.

Lillypaw was seething. He was openly flirting with every young female there. She clenched the spike in her paw so tightly it imprinted its image on her pad. Didn't it mean anything that she had taught him how to let loose and have fun? Didn't it matter that she was his best friend, the one he had confided to and been honest with since they were kittens? And did last night at the ball mean anything to him or had it just been the boost he needed to let the real and ugly tom out?

"Oh Rum Tum Tugger you're a curious beast!" moaned Bombalurina, scratching her paws down her pelvis.

"And there isn't any use for you to doubt it" Tugger answered. Bombalurina strutted toward him, twirling her tail, before rubbing her rear against his. He rubbed back for a moment before spinning around and started to walk off. She thrust her chest out and did a high kick in front of him. Tugger traced her neck with his paw and he looked like he would accept her, but then he let her fall to the ground. She looked livid, but all the other queens laughed and looked relived.

"Rum Tum Tugger is a terrible bore!" someone called out. Everyone, including Lillypaw looked and saw Demeter sitting on top of a washing machine. "You should be ashamed of yourself Tugger," she continued.

"What's got your tail in a knot, Demeter?" Tugger asked sauntering toward her, "Everybody loves Rum Tum Tugger."

"Well, I don't," Demeter sniffed, "Flirting with everyone is disgusting. You should choose one mate and be faithful to them forever."

"You mean like you and my brother?" Tugger asked, lifting an eyebrow, "Demeter, what's the fun of eating one type of food your whole life? If you want to enjoy life, you have to eat many varieties of food and if you can never find your favorite, well . . ." Tugger caressed her cheek, "You'll just have to enjoy the ride."

Demeter clawed Tugger's hand off her.

"You make me want to hack a hairball, Tugger," she snarled.

"It's Rum Tum Tugger now," Exotica mewed, batting her astonishing eyes.

"That's right," Tugger smirked and Exotica fanned herself with her paw, "And Rum Tum Tugger is a lone roamer, but that doesn't mean each and every one of you doesn't hold a special place in my heart."

All the queens mewed franticly and rushed forward the rub themselves against Tugger's body; all except two. Demeter rolled her eyes and walked back toward her den. But Lillypaw just sat where she was, shaking with anger as a single tear rolled down the black patch of fur around her right eye. She couldn't believe what she had witnessed. Her best friend had just used her like catnip, then thrown her away. She had wanted him to be more confident, not to turn him into some queen-crazy man-whore. More tears trickled down her cheeks. Her best friend had completely forgotten her, even after he had told her he loved her.

"_Well,"_ she thought, _"If Mr. Rum Tum Tugger doesn't need me, I don't need him."_

Lillypaw got to her feet, trembling and walked toward the exit to the junkyard. Suddenly the pain became too much and she broke into a run, tears streaming down her face. She flew out into the unknown world outside the junkyard. Where she would go, she did not know. All she knew was she had to get far away from the tom who had betrayed her, after all she did for him.

* * *

"Hey Rum Tum Tugger, did you hear that?"

"What?"

"It sounded like someone ran off, crying."

"I didn't hear anything."


	3. A New Life

Chapter three: A new life

Lillypaw ran until she collapsed with exhaustion miles outside the city. Her paws were scuffed and bleeding. Her long coat was no longer silky, but slick with mud and slime. Her lungs were heaving from her non-stop run. She was hungry, tired and felt like her heart would never fully heal. Her stomach churned and at first she thought it was from sadness, but then she retched and threw up the small amount of food in her stomach.

Coughing miserably, Lillypaw dragged herself along the dirt road she was traveling across, feeling rain starting to slap her head. Tears continued to run down her face. She had never felt more hurt in her life. Finally, she found a shallow dugout on the side of the road and collapsed inside of it. She curled up into a ball, clutching her tail. The dugout did little to prevent the rain splatter her weak body. She pressed her paws to her face and felt something in her paw. She looked and saw that she was still clutching the spike from Tugger's collar in her paw. The skin on her pad was literally worn away from holding it so tight. She placed it beside her. Even though she knew her heart would never forgive Tugger (she refused to think of him as Rum Tum Tugger, it made her sick) for what he did, she still wanted to remember him for the good times they shared as kittens.

She closed her eyes and tried to sleep, but the combination of the rain dripping on her and the continued lurching of her stomach made it impossible.

* * *

The next several weeks were hell for Lillypaw. She was throwing up every single day and she couldn't hunt properly, because she had exhausted herself from running non-stop for a full day and the lack of proper sleep at night. It was difficult for her to breath evenly now; her lungs were worn out from the long run. Her fur was now hopelessly tangled and ratted, because she was too weak to think about hygiene. The worst was lack of water. The only thing she could do was lick rainwater out of puddles and suck the dew off plants in the morning.

One day, Lillypaw stumbled across a small pond a few meters away from her dugout. She gulped down as much water as she could, nearly dunking her whole head in the water. Then she stopped and looked at herself. She hadn't looked at herself properly since she had left the junkyard and was stunned with what she saw. Her face was lined and ravaged, like a cat four times her age. Her face was so dirty; she couldn't distinguish the black spot from the rest of her face. But something truly surprised her. From the lack of food, she had expected herself to be skinny, but if anything she saw that she had gained weight. He belly had swollen outward and her bust was sagging. Tentatively, Lillypaw touched her chest and cringed; it felt as if she was bruised. But then she saw a white fluid flowing out of her breast and her brain seemed to explode.

Everything was starting to come together. Being sick all the time, the extreme weakness, the fact that her belly was almost as big as Jennyanydots's and now she was producing milk. She was pregnant; with Tugger's kittens. Lillypaw was stunned, all the queens had told her she couldn't get she was pregnant because she was so young. She had never heard of a queen becoming pregnant just after becoming an adult. She had no idea how to raise kittens of her own, but the thought of returning to the junkyard made her feel sick again.

"_Okay_,_"_ she thought to herself,_ "Don't panic. The first thing is to figure out how far along I am. All right, the ball was about six weeks ago, so if most kittens are born at two months, I still have at least two weeks. That's enough time to work out what to do."_

Content with her logic, but still more shaken and scared than she would admit, she weakly walked back to her dugout and to her delight she found that a small field mouse had died just outside the entrance. She ate it slowly, savoring each bite. Suddenly she cringed. She had just felt a hard kick in her belly. She smiled. Her babies were kicking.

With a yawn, Lillypaw curled up inside of her dugout and slept contentedly for several hours, but by nightfall she was in complete agony. Her belly was pulsing and contracting and she realized she was going into labor. She racked her brain, trying to figure out where she had gone wrong with her math, then wondered whether or not they were being born prematurely.

"_It doesn't matter now!"_ she screamed at herself, internally, "_What matters now is praying to the everlasting cat that these kittens will be okay. Now pull yourself together and push!"_

* * *

Several long and exhausting hours later, Lillypaw was out in front of her dugout, burying the bodies of two of her kittens. She cried weakly as she said goodbye to her babies, who never had a chance to see the world. She knew the lack of care she had given herself was to blame, but there was nothing she could do differently now. All she could do was head back into the dugout and care for her one living kitten.

The little ball of gray and black fur was curled in the center of the dugout, but it came to life as Lillypaw curled around it, mewing weakly. She picked her kitten up and laid her by her breast and the kitten sucked greedily. Lillypaw smiled at her baby, the little queen truly was beautiful. She had a black body, a long silky gray tail, a fluffy gray mane with a small curl on her forehead, gray anklets and armbands and a small black spot covering her right eye. She was small, but not so small that she couldn't live a normal life. Her little paws scrabbled at her mothers' chest as she drank her fill of milk. Lillypaw stroked the kittens' fluffy mane and sighed as she thought of her life at the junkyard.

"Maybe someday," she whispered to her kitten, "You'll go back there."

The little queen yawned and Lillypaw lay her down next to her. She fell asleep almost immediately, but Lillypaw did not sleep for she had an important job to do, name her kitten.

Finally, the perfect name came to her and she leaned close to the kitten's ear.

"Asteria," she whispered, and then fell asleep, dreaming about what the future would hold.


	4. Growing Up

Chapter four: Growing up

Lillypaw tried to be a good mother for her kitten, but it wasn't easy raising a kitten when you are only a little older than one yourself. Asteria needed to be fed every six hours, but a lot of the time, Lillypaw didn't have enough milk for her. This meant she had to leave her for short periods of time to try and find food. If she was lucky, she would return with food in her belly, so Asteria could drink her fill of milk. But a lot of the time, they both sat in the den, their bellies aching with hunger and Lillypaw would hold Asteria tightly, whispering how sorry she was that this had to happen.

When she was two weeks old, Asteria finally opened her eyes, reveling their shade of deep blue. She also began to totter around the dugout, testing her paws. Lillypaw couldn't have been prouder, but she knew in the back of her mind that things were going to get harder.

* * *

Time seemed to pass quickly for Lillypaw. In no time at all, her little queen was three months old and developing a real personality.

"Mommy," she said one day, "Take me hunting with you."

"Not today sweetie," Lillypaw sighed.

"But moooooooomy," Asteria wailed, "You promised!"

"I said maybe," Lillypaw rubbed her forehead, "But I don't think you are quite ready to come with me yet."

"Yes I am!" Asteria batted at her mom's face, "Please mommy, I'll be good. I swear on the everlasting cat."

"Oh alright," Lillypaw gave in, "But one complain about how tired you are and you won't be coming again."

"Yay!" Asteria leapt out of the dugout and stretched in the afternoon sunlight.

"Mommy," Asteria asked as Lillypaw made her own slower way out of the dugout, "What makes the sun shine?"

"I don't know sweetie," Lillypaw sighed, scratching the back of her ear.

"What are clouds made of?" Asteria persisted, chasing a shadow made by one.

"Water, I think."

"Then why do they float?"

"Magic," Lillypaw mumbled.

"Wow!"

"Now you have to be quiet, Asteria," Lillypaw coaxed her, "You don't want to scare away your dinner, do you?"

Asteria nodded her head rapidly, a goofy smile on her face.

"Very funny," Lillypaw gave her a gentle cuff on the head. She smiled to herself. That goofy smile of hers she had inherited from her father.

"Look Asteria, over there."

Crouching on a raised bit of earth was young rabbit, nibbling away at some buttercups. Lillypaw's mouth watered and she began slinking towards it. Asteria copied her mother, but then her wild mane got caught in some thorns. She tugged her head sharply and she came loose with a loud snapping noise. The rabbit looked up, nose twitching, ears erect. Lillypaw gave her daughter a stern look. Asteria blushed and looked down at her paws.

The rabbit settled back down again, ears still cocked as percussion. Lillypaw started to creep forward again when suddenly she stepped on a piece of dry grass, making a crackling sound.

The rabbit bolted and Lillypaw flew after it. She was gaining on it when her chest suddenly protested. She stopped coughing, trying to breath, while the rabbit flew toward the small shadow of its burrow. Lillypaw moaned, but suddenly a black and gray streak flew past her. Asteria leapt in the air and tackled the rabbit to the ground. Fur flew as she wrestled with the rabbit, giggling the whole time.

"Its neck, its neck!" Lillypaw wheezed.

With a crack, the neck was broken and Asteria stood proudly over her first kill.

"Are you proud of me mommy?" Asteria asked, licking some blood off her paw.

"Very," Lillypaw walked slowly toward her daughter, who had started to gnaw on one of the legs.

"Are you alright mommy?" Asteria asked, concerned.

"My chest just hurts a bit sweetie," Lillypaw tried to reassured her, taking one of the front legs to leave the best for Asteria. She chewed slowly, savoring the taste of the still warm flesh, but still grimacing from the hard thumping of her heart.

They devoured every inch of the rabbit, Asteria even going so far as to gnaw the bones to suck the marrow.

"You have quite an appetite, my little queen," Lillypaw forced a grin, "Keep eating like that your tummy will be touching the ground."

"It will not!" Asteria pouted, rubbing the remains of the dinner from her face with the back of her paw.

"Yes it will,"

"It will not!"

"Yes it will, I'll prove it to you," Lillypaw stood above her daughter, "You see this part . . ." she gently poked the side of her belly. Asteria giggled. "It will soon be so big, you won't be able to feel when I do this." She began tickling Asteria's belly.

"Mommy stop it!" Asteria laughed, squirming and wriggling with glee, which of course only resulted in more tickling.

For several minutes, mother and daughter wrestled around in the field, giggling until their sides ached. Then Lillypaw felt her chest clench again.

"Okay sweetie, that's enough,"

Asteria pouted, narrowing her eyes and wrinkling her nose.

"Don't start Asteria!" Lillypaw said with unnecessary harshness. Asteria's eyes widened. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap, but it is getting late and you need a bath before bed tonight."

Asteria still looked slightly put off at her mother's harshness, but followed her back towards the dugout, kicking at the dirt on the ground. Lillypaw nuzzled her daughter's head and Asteria smiled. The sun was setting now and Lillypaw could feel the cool of the evening blow through her fur. The bush next to her suddenly shook and Lillypaw tensed. The pungent odor that followed told her it was a fox.

"Don't move!" Lillypaw whispered, crouching low to the ground. Asteria mimicked her, curiosity and fear fixed on her face.

A deep orange male fox slunk out of the bush, scanning the area tentatively. Not noticing Lillypaw or Asteria, he uttered a short bark and a slender vixen joined him, followed by four pups. The male nudged the pups ahead of him and they scampered toward the direction of, obviously, an unseen den. He then licked the vixen on the cheek before the two of them followed the pups out of sight.

After she was sure the fox family was gone, Lillypaw began walking again, ears pricked for the slightest hint of danger. Asteria padded next to her and Lillypaw noticed her face was set in a deeply thoughtful expression. But she left her to her thoughts for they had just reached the dugout.

Lillypaw let Asteria clamber into her lap and began to clean the dirt off her black and gray coat. It was not an easy task; Asteria was reasonably well behaved, because she was tired, but her wild mane attracted everything into in and it was almost impossible to get all the dirt out off it. "_How in Heavyside did Tugger manage to get his mane looking perfect?"_ Lillypaw thought, prying a thorn with great difficulty from Asteria's mane.

"Owwie!" Asteria squealed.

"I'm sorry Asteria," Lillypaw sighed, "But this mane is sometimes more of a curse than a blessing."

The sun had set by the time Asteria had been cleaned tip to tail. Asteria gave a huge yawn.

"I know one little queen who's ready for bed," Lillypaw smiled, gently lifting her up.

"I'm not sleepy," Asteria groaned, rubbing her eyes.

"Yes you are," Lillypaw laid her down in the dugout and curled around her, with difficulty for there was not that much space in the dugout anymore. Asteria curled herself up into a ball, holding onto her long silky tail like a human child would hold a blanket. Lillypaw closed her eyes and let a small yawn escape her lips.

"Mommy?"

"Yes sweetie?" Lillypaw murmured, eyes still shut.

"Where's my Daddy?"

Lillypaw's eyes shot open.

"What?"

"Where is my Daddy?" Asteria repeated, looking up at her mother with pure innocence in her eyes, "Those foxes had a daddy. Where's mine?"

Lillypaw was baffled; she had no idea what to say. _"Asteria, your father was my best friend, but after a dance and a night of fun, he realized he preferred getting attention and tail from a dozen queens than just one?"_ Thinking quickly, Lillypaw knew what she had to say.

"Asteria," she started, taking in a deep gulp of air, "You do have a daddy, but he isn't with us because some events happened that made it impossible for him to see you. I don't think you are ready to hear about it yet."

Asteria stared at her mother; Lillypaw held her breath.

"Okay," Asteria closed her eyes and purred deeply as she fell into a doze.

Lillypaw chuckled to herself, but a deep ache was stirring not only in her chest now, but also in her heart. Quietly, so as not to disturb Asteria, she sat up and swept away a patch of dirt on the floor of the dugout. There lay the spike from Tugger's collar. She picked it up and pressed it to her chest. She truly missed home, but she just couldn't find it in her heart to forgive and forget.

She placed the spike near her head and closed her eyes, trying to sleep, but it was nearly impossible. She held Asteria in her arms, thinking of the junkyard and trying not to cry out from the thumping pain in her chest. But at that moment she made a promise, not to herself, but for her daughter.

"_This will not be your life forever, my sweet little queen; someday you will go back and live in the world of the Jellicles."_


	5. The Truth

Chapter five: The truth

When Asteria turned eleven months old, Lillypaw knew it she had to tell her about her father. Asteria was almost an adult and growing up into a beautiful queen. She kept her long glossy mane groomed and her claws were smooth and shiny. She was strong and confident, but she was not happy. She was bored with the uneventful life of the country and longed to explore the world. Soon she would leave and start her own life, but Lillypaw felt she at least owed her the truth before she left.

One dusk, when Asteria returned with a gorgeous pheasant for dinner, Lillypaw called her to her side.

"I owe you the truth Asteria," Lillypaw coughed, " You are a growing Queen and I know you can tell this place is not home. You find the country boring for a reason, sweetie. The truth is that I was born in the city, in a Junkyard; that is why you long for the environment of frenzy and excitement, it is in your blood. The Junkyard in the city truly is my home and yours. Asteria, you are old enough now to fully understand why I had to leave."

Asteria's eyes widened.

"You mean?" she said, tentatively.

"Yes," Lillypaw nodded, "It's time you learned about your father."

While slowly eating their dinner, Lillypaw told Asteria all about Tugger, about their friendship as kittens, how she grew to fall in love with him, about the Jellicle ball when they where adults and afterwards when Tugger showed his true colors.

Asteria was livid.

"How could he just toss you aside like fish bones?" she asked.

"I don't know sweetie," Lillypaw moaned, "I thought he was my best friend." She began to cry weakly.

"Don't cry mom," Asteria whispered, nuzzling Lillypaw gently, "So he was the reason you left?"

"Yes, I couldn't bear to see him another moment, so I ran as far as I could. Then a few weeks later I discovered I was pregnant. When I went into labor, you were the only one who survived, for the lack of care I had given myself damaged the other unborn kittens."

Asteria sat motionless for a few moments, then slowly turned to her mother.

"I'm going back," she said, "Tugger doesn't even know he has a daughter. He needs to be reminded of the love he threw aside."

Lillypaw smiled. "When will you be going sweetie?"

Asteria frowned.

"_We_ are leaving tomorrow"

Lillypaw shook her head. "I won't be joining you."

Asteria's eyes widened.

"Mom, what are you talking about?"

Lillypaw sighed deeply. "I can't come."

"Why not?" Asteria protested, sounding truly kittenish.

Lillypaw let out a wheezy cough. "Asteria, my wild dash when I left the junkyard strained my lungs severely and weakened my heart and now the only reason I am alive is that you provide me with food for if I tried to hunt, I would die. I am only two years old, but my health is that of a twenty-year-old cat. The strain on my body is slowly killing me; I don't know how much longer I have left."

Asteria burst into tears, burying her face into her mother's chest.

"Don't cry Asteria," Lillypaw soothed, "I will go quietly in my sleep; dying from lack of food is the least painful way to go to Heavyside."

"No mom," Asteria sniffed, rubbing her eyes, "I won't let you die from starvation. I will stay with you until you've left me."

"Don't be foolish," Lillypaw coughed, harder this time, "You must find shelter with the Jellicles before winter comes."

"That is months off, I will not leave you to suffer alone."

Lillypaw smiled and wrapped her arms around her daughter.

"If you insist, my beautiful queen, I won't stop you, but . . ." Lillypaw got up slowly and picked up a small object from a ledge in the den, "I do want you to wear this." With a piece of severely worn string, she strung the spike from Tugger's collar around Asteria's neck.

"This was on your father's collar; it fell off the night of the Jellicle ball. I want you to keep it with you."

Asteria looked at it and smiled.

"It is pretty," she grinned.

Lillypaw nuzzled Asteria, but turned away as another fit of coughing hit her like a brick. Asteria wrapped her arm around her mother as her body slowly stopped quaking. Lillypaw looked up weakly at the newly starry sky and her eyes slowly filled with tears again. When she spoke again, her voice was practically non-existent.

"When you do find Tugger," she croaked, "Tell him he was the only tom I ever loved."

"I will mom," Asteria promised, "Now lets get some sleep." She led her mother into the most sheltered spot in the den, using her body to block the night chill. Yet Lillypaw shivered and Asteria pressed her body into her.

"I love you Asteria," Lillypaw murmured.

Asteria licked the side of her mothers face.

"I love you too mom. Now get some sleep, you will feel better in the morning."


	6. New Friends in the City

Chapter six: New friends in the City

Asteria woke up clutching her mothers' ice-cold body. Shocked, she shook her franticly, tugging franticly at her fur, but Lillypaw remained motionless. Asteria screamed in frustration and clawed at her mother's face.

"Wake up mom!" she wailed, "I am not ready to be without you!" As great shuddering sobs shook her body like tremors, she felt the spike dancing around her neck. Wiping her eyes on the back of her paw, she stared at the spike, her fathers spike.

"_Mother's right,"_ Asteria thought, "_I have to go back. I need to find my father and the home I never knew."_

She looked back at her mothers' body, curled up as though sleeping in the den she had used as an escape from her true life.

"_Time to say farewell to both,"_ Asteria thought. Crouching over her body, she licked Lillypaw's cold cheek and whispered, "Goodbye mom, say hello to my brothers in the Heavyside Layer."

With a weak, sad sigh, Asteria then kicked dirt over the den until it was completely covered and her mother could no longer be seen.

"I'll be alright mom," Asteria promised, then she turned and headed along the dirt road in the direction of the city.

* * *

_"So this is the city," _Asteria thought, licking gum off her paws, "_highly over rated."_

Asteria had arrived in the city at dusk and had wandered aimlessly for hours, trying to find something, anything. A familiar smell or sight, but so far all she had managed to do was nearly get hit by a bus, been chased up a telephone pole by a dog and get chased by some drunk human teenagers, apparently under the impression that she was a panther.

"_Well, if I just keep walking, I should find it, right?"_ she asked herself, peeling the last strand of gum of her paw. Her stomach gave a low rumble. Asteria began trying to locate even the scrawniest of mice, but the rodents were much smarter in the city then they were in the country and always ran as soon as she even stepped paw into an alley. It didn't help that she was severely drowsy; even though she hadn't run full tilt the way her mother had, she was still almost dead on her paws.

"First food, then a safe place to sleep," she told herself, but she knew she couldn't hunt in her current state. Suddenly she inhaled the strong odor of fish. Her mouth watering, she followed her nose to a garbage can behind a mall.

_"Ew,"_ she shuddered. Taking a deep breath, Asteria hooked her back paws on the rim of the can and buried her face into the garbage. A combination of overpowering odors flowed into her nostrils and she felt all sorts of foul things sticking to her fur, but she pushed it all aside, digging down deeper and deeper. Finally, she pulled up a piece of three-day-old salmon and sunk her teeth into it, savoring the succulent pink flesh.

"Dum'ster diven', huh?"

Asteria jumped at the voice. Peeking out of a large dumpster next to her was an orange, black and white calico tom, maybe a few months older than her. He had a strong face and a very mischievous glint in his eyes. He was clinging to a silver watch he had apperantly found.

"Nuthin' good in tha' can, kit," he grinned, speaking with a strong accent "If ya want the gud stuff, ya gatta look in them big ones."

Asteria frowned.

"I am not a kitten," she retorted, "I am nearly an adult and-"

"Jer!" a muffled voice came from deep in the dumpster, "Git down 'ere and 'elp me. I don' know wha' this is, bu' it's spa'kly!"

"Scuse' me kit," the tom disappeared inside the trash.

"Wait!"

Asteria leaped down from the trashcan and scrambled up the side of the dumpster. A minute later, the two cats popped back up, dragging a rhinestone tiara. The toms' companion was an orange, black and white calico queen who, despite being smaller, was identical to the tom. She had a string of pearls dangling around her neck.

"O' i's gorgeous Jerie!" the queen gushed, holding up the tiara so it shone in the moonlight.

"Sorr'e bou' tha' kit," the tom said, "Ma name is Mungojerr'eh an' this is ma sistah, Rumpleteaz'ah."

"I'm Asteria," Asteria smiled.

"Well, wha's a kit like you doin' wanderen' aroun' 'ere alone?" Mungojerrie asked.

This time Asteria scowled.

"Like a said," she said, grinding her teeth, "I am not a kitten, I am eleven months old and I am trying to find my father."

"Youh' fath'a?" Rumpleteazer tore her eyes from the tiara to look at Asteria, "Ya know whe' 'e is?"

"My mother told me he lived in a Junkyard in the city; this belongs to him." She held out the spike around her neck. Mungojerrie eyed it, looked at Rumpleteazer and smirked.

"Ya wouldn't 'appen tuh' know the name of ya fath'a, would'ja?" he asked.

"My mother told me he was called Tugger," Asteria frowned, surprised at his reaction.

Rumpleteazer let out a high pitched, squealing giggle.

"Shush!" Mungojerrie hissed, then turned back to Asteria, "Ya, we know 'im. We visit tha' junkya'd offen; i's like our 'ome."

"Could you show me-" Asteria let out a huge yawn, "Sorry. Could you show me the way to the Junkyard?"

"I's too fa' away fo a kit-" Mungojerrie stopped at Asteria's glare, "Sorr'e, I mean fo' a cat in youh' condition to walk."

"My condition?" Asteria asked.

"Da'lin', youh' dead on ya paws," Rumpleteazer said sympathetically, "Tell ya what? 'Ow 'bout ya stay wi' me an Jer tuh'night? We 'ave a lill' place near Victoria Grove."

"That would be wonderful," Asteria smiled.

With the tiara and watch in paw, the twins leapt out of the dumpster and landed neatly on the ground. Asteria followed, but in her drowsy state, her legs went weak underneath her and she sprawled on the ground.

"Ya okay Asteria?" Mungojerrie asked, running to her side.

"I'm alright," Asteria mumbled, as Mungojerrie helped her up. She brushed off her sleek coat.

"Ya got som'thin' in ya mane," Mungojerrie gently tugged some gunk from her glossy gray mane and his paw skimmed against her neck. Asteria felt an odd sensation pass through her, like an electric current. She smiled at Mungojerrie. He smiled back, then quickly turned back to his sister.

"Le's go, Teaz'ah," he said.

"Ah was wait'n fo' you," she said haughtily.

The trio wound their way through the dank alleyways and filthy streets. Rumpleteazer led the way, but Mungojerrie stuck close to Asteria, as though frightened she would collapse again. Asteria didn't mind though; somehow she already felt close to him, even though they had just met.

They soon entered a street marked Victoria Grove. Rumpleteazer slunk through a gap in a fence and into a small garden shed.

"Aft'ah you," Mungojerrie said, so Asteria entered the shed and was struck dumb. Humans may have abandoned the shed, but it was filled with a wide assortment of random objects that the siblings had collected, most of them shiny. There was also a large stash of food, catnip, and fluffy blankets.

"Wow," was all she could say.

"Not too shabby, eh?" Rumpleteazer grinned, setting the tiara among a heap of jewelry.

"If you'h hungr'e, 'elp you'self tuh anythin' ya want," Mungojerrie told her.

"That's alright," Asteria yawned, curling up on one of the blankets, "I think I'll just . . ." and her eyes drooped shut and a second later, she was snoring softly.

Rumpleteazer turned to her brother.

"Well, she is awful'e cute," she giggled.

"Shush Teaz'ah, you'll wake 'er," he scolded, but he blushed a bright red.


	7. A Junkyard of Mixed Bags

Chapter Seven: The Junkyard of Mixed bags

In the morning, Asteria woke up to find Mungojerrie's face inches from her own. She jumped then relaxed. He was curled up with Rumpleteazer next to him, snoring. Moving carefully, Asteria crept off the blanket and began fumbling with a can of tuna for breakfast. Somehow, she cracked it open and quickly guzzled the pink, succulent fish.

She thought it would be rude to waken her hosts, so she busied herself with grooming. Her mane was snarled and her tail had lost most of its fluffiness. But after a half an hour of grooming, she was clean and fluffy like a queen should be.

But the siblings were still snoring and Asteria was growing quite bored. She started pacing back and forth, flicking her tail. Then she saw bold mouse creeping along one of the shelves. Her hunting instincts took over and launched herself at the mouse! The mouse ran, but Asteria kept going and crashed into the shelf, sending everything from beads to glasses flying!

Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer sat blot upright and stared at Asteria, who was covered in a cascade of multicolored beads. Mungojerrie burst out laughing, but Rumpleteazer was livid.

"You idiot!" she cried "Look wha' yo've done! Do ya know 'ow long it took us to collect 'em glasses?"

"I'm so sorry!" Asteria spluttered, bright red, shaking beads out of her mane and ears.

"Sorr'e? Sorr'e! Will sorr'e bring back all them long hours we spent collect'n 'em?" Rumpleteazer looked truly wild as she picked up the edge of a rose colored glass, "Yo've broken ma favorite glass!"

"Calm down Teaz'ah," Mungojerrie had gotten off the blankets and put an arm around his sister, "Tha' famil'e 'ad a collection of 'em glasses, you'll git anoth'a soon enough."

Rumpleteazer took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. Evidently, it didn't work, for she said, "'Scuse me, fo' a moment," and disappeared out through the hole in the shed.

"There was a mouse, it was just instinct . . ." Asteria stammered, kittenishly, but Mungojerrie cut her off.

"You'ah still young, i' takes some time tuh know when tuh hold back" he said, " Fuh' stat'ers, jus' try tuh 'old back if ya could 'urt someone o' somethin'."

"Hey come on," Asteria couldn't help remarking, "You can't be much older then me, don't tell me you don't still occasionally chase a mouse into a wall."

"Well . . ." Mungojerrie blushed, "Ya caught me on that one, Asteria."

The two cats laughed and Asteria felt that same electric current shoot through her limbs. She moved a little closer to Mungojerrie, so that she could feel the warmth coming off his body and their fur brushed together. He looked at her and smiled, but if he was going to say anything, he never got the chance, for Rumpleteazer came slinking back in.

"Ah shouldn't 'ave yelled," she apologized, "Jerr'eh's right, ah can find more glasses the next time we visit the 'Enderson's 'ouse. Well Asteria, ya ready to meet you'ah fath'a?"

Asteria swallowed deeply and nodded. A million thoughts were whirl winding through her mind. _"What would he be like, the tom who had forgotten her mother? The tom that didn't even know she existed? The tom that, by the way the twins reacted, hadn't changed much from the day he discovered himself?"_

"Don' worre'," Mungojerrie nuzzled her shoulder gently, "I'm sure Tuggah will be unda'standen abou' this."

"I'm surprised ya 'is firs' kit," Rumpleteazer grinned, "Tom like 'im probably 'as 'undreds."

"Teaz'ah!" Mungojerrie snarled, but his sister only smiled knowingly and pawed at the pearls around her neck. He rolled his eyes and looked back at Asteria.

"Sorr'e 'bout 'er," he said, casting an evil eye back at Rumpleteazer, "She got dropped on 'er 'ead as a kit. Anyway, le's get movin'."

The threesome crawled out into the late afternoon sunlight and Rumpleteazer managed to give her brother a claw in the leg for insulting her. He chuckled before telling her to save her energy for her nighttime visits with Alonzo. The name meant nothing to Asteria, but Rumpleteazer snarled and walked ahead, not looking back at the two of them.

"She's ov'ah sensitive," Mungojerrie grinned.

"Follow 'er" he added, following Rumpleteazer onto the street, "She's still goin' to the Junkya'd."

The twins lead Asteria through the dank alleys and honking cars, although things weren't half as scary during the day. Asteria stuck close to Mungojerrie's side, she still felt more comfortable with him then his sister, for she seemed to have a temper. Besides, she was secretly hoping to feel the electric current shoot through her again; it was more exhilarating then stalking prey.

Suddenly, a strong smell of garbage hit her nose. Surprisingly, Asteria did not find it repulsive; if anything, she found it nostalgic. Then, as the twins rounded a bend, she saw it. Fenced off by wire was an enormous pile of garbage. There were heaps of junk everywhere, but for the first time in her life Asteria couldn't have been happier to see trash. She knew this was where she belonged.

Tears wetted her eyes as she looked to the sky. "Mom," she whispered, "I'm home."

Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer lead her inside the junkyard and she wiggled her claws in the soft dirt. It was a welcome change from the pavement.

"Mungojerrie? Rumpleteazer? Is that you?"

Asteria flinched as a silver gray tabby cat leapt down in front of them. He eyed them suspiciously and Asteria gathered that the twins had built themselves a reputation.

"Hey Munkustrap," Mungojerrie grinned, "Just escorten' a newcomer."

The tom looked at Asteria and asked, "Might I enquire your name and business?"

"My name is Asteria," she told him, "And I am here to find my father."

Rumpleteazer slunk over to Munkstrap and whispered something in his ear. He started and his brow furrowed in thought. When he spoke again, his voice sounded strained.

"Asteria, might I ask who your mother is?"

Asteria dropped her gaze, heart suddenly heavy.

"Her name was Lillypaw," she muttered, "My father broke her heart and she bore me in the country. She is in the Heavyside layer now." Suddenly she was crying again and Mungojerrie put his arms around her until her hiccupping sobs subsided.

"Well Asteria, this is a delicate situation," Munkstrap frowned, kicking the dirt on the ground, "If what you and Rumpleteazer have told me is true, my brother is in for a serious reality check."

"Brother?" Asteria asked, "You mean, you are my uncle?"

"Well, yes," Munkustrap admitted and before she knew what she was doing, Asteria had flung her arms around him in a deep hug. Munkustrap smiled and gave her head a gentle nuzzle.

Asteria pulled herself off him and murmured an apology.

"It's alright," he said, "Now I can show you your father, but I won't do the talking for you. I can tell you are a mature young queen and you should speak from your heart."

Asteria nodded, but asked timidly, "Could Mungojerrie come with me?"

"That actually might be a better idea," Munkustrap nodded, "I have to stay on guard duty anyway."

Mungojerrie smiled at Asteria, then looked at his sister.

"Oh, don' mind me," she sniffed, "I'll jus' go ov'ah to Uncle Skimble's den until you'ah ready to go raiden'." With a flick of her tail, Rumpleteazer was gone.

"Did I do something wrong?" Asteria asked, worried

"Don' worre' kit," Mungojerrie assured her, "Like a said, she's ov'ah sensitive."

"You'll find in the center of the Junkyard with his . . . err fan club," Munkustrap told them climbing up on top of the pile of junk he had been sitting on, "Good luck Asteria and if you need a place to stay while you're here, your welcome to stay with me in my den, I've always wanted a niece."

Asteria smiled as Mungojerrie led her through the junkyard, taking in the odors and sights that were somehow familiar to her. She noticed Mungojerrie looking her over, but if he caught her eye, he looked away.

Then Asteria noticed they had reached what seemed to be a clearing. Cats were draped over discarded furniture, chatting with friends or sleeping. But Asteria wondered how they could sleep over the ruckus going on in the very center of the clearing. Four female kittens of assorted ages and color were all squealing over a tall mane coon standing in between them.

"Well, tha's 'im," Mungojerrie smiled, "Wha' do ya think?"

Asteria didn't know what to think. Her father was black with a golden mane and leopard spots on his chest. He wore a silver belt around his waist and a spike collar on his neck. Currently he was rocking his pelvis back and forth to the delight of the kittens around him.

"Rum Tum Tugger!" squealed a brown tortoiseshell kitten with hints of orange around her face, "Sing your song again!"

"Sorry Electra, I've been singing all day, my voice is used up," Tugger grinned.

"No, it's not," a tiny red, black and tan calico kitten mewed, batting at Tugger's leg, "Please!"

"Oh, all right," Tugger smirked, "but only because you are my niece Jemima." He rocked his pelvis some more then let out a high-pitched note that sent the kittens into hysterics. One, a cream, brown, and white kitten, kept mewing long after the others had stopped. Tugger looked perplexed and amused, but the last kitten in the group, a pure white queen who actually looked a month older that Asteria, clapped a paw over her mouth.

"I forget why I even hang around with you guys anymore," she sniffed, "All you want to do is fawn over Tugger, lets go and do something."

"Come on Victoria," the cream, brown, and white kitten pouted, "Ever since you've become an adult, you've gotten boring."

"What do you except Etcetera?" Electra smirked, "Ever since the Jellicle Ball all Vicky wants to do is be with Plato."

"That's not true," Victoria blushed.

"Hey leave her alone," Tugger told them, "If she wants to be with her mate, let her. It just means you get Rum Tum Tugger all to yourself."

At this thought, the three young queens wove themselves in between Tugger's legs, batting at his tail. Victoria snorted and headed off, leaving Tugger with his three biggest fans.

"Well, are ya gonna talk to 'im or what?" Mungojerrie asked, nudging Asteria slightly.

Asteria shrugged.

"I just can't believe this," she murmured, "Mom said Tugger was bad, but this is beyond anything I ever imagined. Maybe I would be better off without a father than with one."

"Nonsense, everyone needs a fath'a," Mungojerrie nuzzled the side of her face and Asteria felt the electric current shoot through her body. "What you need is a chance to talk to 'im alone."

Before Asteria could stop him, Mungojerrie leapt out from hiding and sauntered over to Tugger.

"Hey Tug!" he called, "I got someone 'ere who needs to 'ave a word wif' you in pri'vat."

Tugger smirked.

"Anything your sister wants to say, she can say it in front of the queens," he replied, causing appreciative mews from Electra, Etcetera and Jemima.

"Nah, i's got nuthin to do with Teaz'ah," Mungojerrie grinned, "Bu' it is rather important, so if ya don't mind..."

"All right Jerrie," Tugger obliged, "but you owe me." He sauntered toward Mungojerrie, while the kittens' mewed protests.

"Go back to your mothers," Tugger told them, "Or go play with the tom kittens. Don't worry, whatever this is, it won't take too long."

"Good luck," Mungojerrie whispered to Asteria, "if ya need meh, I'll be wif Teazer at Skimble 'ouse." Then he dashed off.

"Wait, I don't know where that is-" she started to protest, but he was gone and Rum Tum Tugger had come round the bend and was looking at her with curious eyes.


	8. Confrontation

Chapter eight: Confrontation

"Well, hello kit," Tugger smiled, "I haven't seen you around here before. You new to the Junkyard?"

"Yes," Asteria nodded, voice wavering and cheeks flushing pink.

"Well, you found me quickly, even for a queen your age. If you wanted to join the fan club, you could have just come out and asked," he added, fluffing up his mane and winking.

That did it. Asteria fluffed up her own mane and said in a voice coated with venom, "I don't want to join your fan club, I just want to be in your life."

Tugger's eyes grew as large as food dishes. "What?"

"I'm your daughter!"

"What!? Look kit, I think you must be mistaken."

"There's no mistake," Asteria snarled. She untied the spike around her neck and through it at Tugger's paws. "Look familiar?" she asked.

Tugger picked up the spike, astonished. He flipped his collar around and held it up to an empty space among the spikes. It fit like a glove.

"Where did you find this spike?" he asked, suspiciously.

"The night of the Jellicle ball when you were first an adult, it fell off your collar while you were mating with the only queen who noticed you when you were shy and soft-spoken," Asteria almost yelled, holding back the tears that threatened to come, "The queen who woke up alone the next morning alone, only to find you singing and crooning over every other queen in the junkyard. She left, Tugger heart-broken that the only tom she ever loved had used her, after all she did for him!"

Tugger was gapping at Asteria. His mind seemed to be working a mile a minute. "What . . . who . . ?" he began to splutter, further infuriating Asteria.

"Her name was Lillypaw, does that ring any bells Tugger?" she snarled.

Tugger gasped. His breathing slowed down and his paws began to shake, almost dropping the spike. "Lillypaw," he murmured, "I haven't thought of her in ages."

"Well, she couldn't stop thinking about you," Asteria told him, fire in her eyes, "She ran from the memories, from her home, from you, at full tilt, until she reached the country. Weeks later, she discovers she's pregnant, but because of her exhausting run, she put strain on her kittens. I was the only one who survived in a litter of three. She raised me on her own, too upset and humiliated to return to the one place she called home."

Tugger sat down on an orange crate, gripping the spike between his paws. "Where is she?" he asked, voice barely a whisper.

"She died," Asteria growled, "The strain on her body from he exhausting run finally took its toll and she died in her sleep two nights ago."

Tugger buried his face in his paws. She heard a deep moan, and then a sniff. "Everlasting cat," he moaned, "Lillypaw, she was my best friend. She taught me everything I know. How could I have done that to her?" Suddenly the great Rum Tum Tugger was crying. Big, wet tears rolled down his cheeks, through his whiskers and onto the spike in his paws.

Suddenly, Asteria felt her heart soften. At least this tom, her father, had a heart, even if it was occasionally blocked by his ego. Hesitantly, she approached Tugger and placed a paw on his shoulder. Tugger looked at her through wet eyes and wiped his nose with the back of his paw. He opened his mouth, but evidently had no clue what to say and shut it again.

"This is as hard for me as it is for you," Asteria whispered, losing the battle with the tears stinging her eyes, "When you feel ready to talk to your daughter, I'll be with Munkustrap. And if you're wondering . . ." she added, starting to slink off, "My name is Asteria." With that, she flicked her tail and ran off, tears soaking her face.


	9. Family Bonding and Love Blooming

Chapter nine: Family Bonding and Love Blooming

"Asteria, is that you?" Munkustrap called down, as he noticed the black and grey blur streaking towards him.

She nodded and furiously swiped at the tears dripping down her face. Munkustrap felt pity for her and crawled down from his post to wrap comforting arms around his niece. "What happened?" he asked.

"I lost it," Asteria whimpered, "I just started yelling at him, then he began crying and then I started crying and now I'm here!" She buried her face into Munkustrap's shoulder.

"Listen Asteria," Munkustrap gently nudged her away from him to hold her at arms length, "I believe you are my niece and I will help you as much as I can, but you have to understand that I am the Jellicle protector and I still am on duty now."

"I'm really sorry," Asteria apologized, going pink again, "I really need to stop acting like a kitten."

"Your eleven months old, its understandable," Munkustrap smiled, "Now, I can show you to my den if you like. I'll have to come back here, but my mate will take care of you."

"That would be wonderful," Asteria smiled, the last of her tears beginning to dry on her cheeks.

Munkustrap lead her around the bend toward an area hollowed out of a heap or trash. He crawled inside and Asteria followed, surprised to find that it was very roomy and padded by discarded blankets and mattresses.

"Who's there?" a voice suddenly demanded from the darkness.

"It's Munkustrap, Demeter," Munkustrap answered, "I have brought a guest."

A beautiful black and gold queen with hints of red in her coat emerged from the corner of the den and gave Asteria a long look. Asteria couldn't help but notice that her eyes seemed to hold a permanent fear in them, as though she had been hurt long ago.

"You look familiar," Demeter mused, "but I can't think of how I know you"

"My name is Asteria," Asteria told her, "My mother is Lillypaw and my father is Tugger."

"Your father is-" Demeter couldn't finish. She looked at Munkustrap and said with an edge of malice, "Well, finally Tugger will have to learn responsibility."

"Yes, but for now, I've given Asteria permission to stay with us," Munkustrap explained.

A shadow of a smile graced Demeter's lips.

"Well Asteria, our home is your home," she smiled, "One moment, I'll find our daughter and she can show you around." She poked her head outside the den and called, "Jemima!"

The red, black and tan kitten Asteria had noticed earlier came trotting inside, rubbing her mother affectionately on the head.

"Hello mommy," Jemima grinned, "Hi daddy. What is it?"

"I want to introduce you to someone," Demeter tried to smile at her daughter, but only managed a sort of grimace, "This is your cousin Asteria. I want you to show her around today."

"But moooooooooomy," Jemima whined, "I was going to go see Tugger with Electra and Etcetera today!"

"You were with him all this morning Jem," Munkustrap said firmly, rescuing Asteria from some embarrassment, "Now I want you to be a good little queen and show Asteria around."

"Okay," Jemima turned to Asteria and gave her an angelic smile, "Well, where do you want to go?"

"You decide," Asteria forced a smile and followed Jemima out of the den, determined to let her new cousin show her the world she was meant to be in and let her mind wander from her father.

* * *

" . . . and that's Pouncival's rocking chair. No ones allowed on it except him and if you try it, he'll grab your tail and drag you off." Jemima had been talking solidly for a quarter of an hour as she led Asteria around. She seemed ecstatic to have a new friend. Asteria had been smiling and nodding politely, but deep down, she still felt guilty about what gone down with her father.

"And down that path is Skimbleshankses den," Jemima pointed around the bend, "And over there is-"

"Wait," Asteria stopped her, "Slow down. A cat named Skimbleshanks lives down there?"

"Yes," Jemima smiled, "He's a railway cat. No train can start without Skimble."

" Cool, listen Jem, why don't you go play with Tug-" Asteria choked on the name and started over, "Why don't you go play with your queen friends? I need to go find someone."

"Alright," Jemima said, smile fading slightly, "I'll see you later, Asteria."

Jemima wandered off and Asteria felt slightly guilty for being short with her. _"I seem to be causing everybody pain today_,_"_ she thought miserably, the image of Tugger's tear stained face seemingly seared to her eyes. She shook her head; surprised she was so shook up about a tom whose attitude she found disgusting and immature. Then again he was her flesh and blood.

Sighing, Asteria plodded around the bend and found herself looking at a neatly arranged den, hollowed out of a bathtub. A yellow/orange tabby tom with a brown chest, who looked at least five, maybe older, was reclining in front of it, studying the pocket watch gripped in his paws.

"Hello?" Asteria said timidly.

The tom started and turned to her with a snarl. He stopped abruptly when he saw her.

"Don't sneak up on meh like that, lass," the tom scolded, "Don't ya know it is wrong to disturb ah sleepin' cat?"

"I'm very sorry," Asteria apologized, "I was just trying to find someone named Skimbleshanks."

The tom's face softened.

"Well, you've come to the right place, lass," he smiled, "I'm Skimbleshanks. What can I do for ya?"

"I'm looking for Mungojerrie," Asteria smiled back, breathing a sigh of relief, "He told me I could find him here."

Skimbleshanks got up and climbed into his den.

"Mungojerrie!" he called, "There's a lass here askin' for yah!"

Two seconds later, Mungojerrie came flying out of the den.

"Asteria!" he beamed running up to her, "I was wonderen what was takin' so long."

He stopped when he saw the pain in her eyes. "Wha' happened?" he asked.

"I started yelling at him and he began crying," Asteria could barely get the words out.

"Why didn't ya come to me?" Mungojerrie put his arms around her, "I would've 'elped ya."

"You didn't exactly tell me where this place was," Asteria responded bitterly, "So I went to Munkustrap's."

"I'm sorr'e Asteria, I wasn't thinken straight," he rubbed the side of her head gently with his own, "Tell ya what, do ya want to just hang out wi' me today? I could show ya around."

"That's alright," Asteria managed a smile, "My cousin already gave me the full tour."

"Cousin?" Mungojerrie frowned, "Oh right, Jemima."

"But I would like to hang out with you," Asteria told him, pinking again, "If you don't mind."

"Not at all," Mungojerrie grinned, "Come wi' me."

He led her across the Junkyard and onto a sofa that looked hopelessly weather beaten. Asteria kneaded it with her paws and sat down daintily.

"I come 'ere when I want tuh git away from it all," Mungojerrie said, sitting down next to her, "Tuh just relax and let ma thought take flight. Plus-" he dug into a tear in the cushion, "there are something's I find I don' want Teaz'ah tuh no I 'ave."

He brought up a full bag of kitty treats and Asteria's mouth began watering.

"I've bin savin 'um," he smiled, tearing it open, "Bu'h I thought now would be a gud time tuh break 'em open. 'Elp yaself."

The two of them threw themselves upon the treats in a full display of kitten greed. Asteria stuffed herself full to bursting, but still snarled at Mungojerrie when she saw him going for the last one.

"Come on Asteria!" Mungojerrie laughed, "You've 'ad twice as many as meh. Let meh 'ave it!"

"Never!" Asteria growled playfully and launched herself at Mungojerrie. They rolled over and over on the couch, before tumbling to the ground, laughing and growling as they clawed playfully at each other.

"Got ya!" Mungojerrie growled triumphantly, pinning her down.

Asteria rolled out from underneath him and took off, laughing hysterically. She could not remember when she had had this much fun before. But she had let her guard down, for Mungojerrie came ramming into her side and set them both tumbling again, a blur of gray and orange.

Finally, they both collapsed, roaring with laughter until their sides ached. Asteria suddenly noticed that Mungojerrie's face was mere inches from her own, as they had finally collapsed while he was pinning her again. The electric currents almost hurt; they were shooting so fast through her body. She let out a low purr. He purred too, but quickly stopped, rolling off her and shaking his head to try and clear it.

"Sorr'e," he murmured, "I don' know wha' came ov'ah meh."

The two of them walked back to the sofa in silence and stretched out on it comfortably.

"Tell me about yourself," Asteria asked abruptly.

"Wha'?" Mungojerrie looked confused.

"You essentially know my full life story," Asteria explained, moving a little closer to him, "Tell me about yourself."

For the rest of the day, Mungojerrie told Asteria about himself. His story was not a pretty one. His parent both worked for the most evil cat in the city; a cat named Macavity. When he and his sister were born, they were destined to grow up and work for him too. Their mother had done all she could to conceal them from her boss. But he eventually discovered them and killed their parents on the spot. He raised the siblings to be evil and rob houses of valuables. But one day, they escaped while the guards were sleeping. They had been accepted into the Jellice tribe and taken in by their Uncle, Skimbleshanks. Macavity had made a few attempts to get them back, so they cut him a deal. He got half of the things they stole every night and in return, he let them live in the Junkyard pretty much undisturbed.

"Do you miss your parents?" Asteria asked.

"Everyday," Mungojerrie responded, "One day I will take mah revenge on Macavity fo' wha' 'e did."

"Revenge can't be the answer," Asteria mused, "Eye for an eye, fang for a fang, it just isn't right."

"Well, wha' would you do?" Mungojerrie inquired.

"Nothing," Asteria told him, "The everlasting cat will see that one day Macavity is punished for all his misdeeds."

The cats sat in silence, watching the sun starting to set in the sky. Suddenly Mungojerrie pressed his body lightly against Asteria, his paw on top of hers. His fur was very soft, well kept for a cat that regularly dug through garbage. Asteria looked at him and tentatively nuzzled the side of his face. He purred quietly. That made the sparks fly through her skin again.

"Jerrie," she whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Do you . . ." Asteria faltered, "Like me? I know we've barely met, but I feel close to you already."

Green eyes stared hard into blue. He opened his mouth when . . .

"Surprise!"

A blur of orange leapt on top of Mungojerrie and wrestled him down to the ground. Asteria jumped down to help, just as Mungojerrie managed to seize his sister by the pearls.

"Teaz'ah wha' the 'ell do ya think your doin'?" he yelled, raising his voice for first time since Asteria knew him.

"Well, ya kinda disappeared Jer, I didn' know where ya went," Rumpleteazer grinned, "Besides, i's time tuh go raiden."

"Your right Teaz'ah," Mungojerrie looked at Asteria then said, "Would'ja give us a moment alone?"

"You've 'ad all day," Rumpleteazer retorted, but all the same turned around and walked off.

Mungojerrie hopped back up on the sofa and gave Asteria a sincere smile.

"I don't know wha' i' is about ya," he murmured, "But, I've felt very strongly about you the moment I met ya. You'ah really special queen."

"That doesn't really answer my question," Asteria smiled.

Mungojerrie chuckled, then leaned forward and gave her a tentative lick on the cheek. Asteria shivered happily and purred.

"I do like ya Asteria," he admitted, "I jus' don' wanna start anythin' serious wif you until you are truly an adult cat. You are still just a kit and you are still fragile abou' wha' 'appened wif Tugger. You need to get you'ah life together before ya can be wif me."

It was a wise speech, but Asteria didn't care. She began to sniff, tears welling in her eyes.

"Don' feel bad," he whispered, nuzzling her head, "I'll always be ya friend, and when this 'ole ordeal is sorted out, I 'ope we can be sumthin' more."

"I'm not waitin' any longer Jerrie!"

"Comin' Teaz'ah!" Mungojerrie called back through gritted teeth. He turned back to Asteria, gave a small shrug and rounded the bend after his sister.

Asteria let out a long sad yowl. She dug her claws into the sofa in anger; she just seemed to be making everything worse for everyone today.

"Asteria?"

She jumped and hissed as she turned around. Tugger was standing there, eyes red from crying, the spike still in his paw.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he apologized, tentatively jumping up on the couch to join her.

Bitter anger replaced the sadness and Asteria looked away from him.

"Look," Tugger began, taking a deep breath, "I believe you are my kitten and I know I can't make up for all the time I've missed."

Asteria turned back to him, no emotion at all on her face.

"But I do want to be in your life, if you let me," he continued, moving closer to her and retying the spike around her neck.

A tiny smile twitched Asteria's mouth and she touched the spike gently.

"Thank you for returning it to me, Tugger," she said.

Tugger gave a slight frown.

"What? I'm not daddy yet?" a hint of his attitude returning to his voice.

"Not yet," Asteria's smile broadened, "You are charming, I'll admit that, but I still haven't quite forgiven you."

"I hope you'll grow to like me," Tugger smiled.

"Did you use that line on my mother?" Asteria asked, the smile dropping of her face like a rock.

Tugger's face turned as white as milk.

"Oh Heavyside, I'm sorry," Tugger spluttered.

"It's alright," Asteria sighed, though she still felt hurt, "I take it you haven't talked to a queen without flirting in a long time."

Tugger turned red now and kneaded the couch with his paws.

"That it true," he admitted, "I really have to learn how to be a father."

"Well, I think I am willing to let you learn." Asteria pressed herself tentatively against his side. Tugger blinked, unsure of what to do, then gently rubbed her head with his own.

"Tugger what is going on?"

Asteria started. Staring down from atop a pile of rubbish was a scarlet queen with flecks of black with fire blazing in her eyes.

"Bomba!" Tugger moved away from Asteria, "Listen-"

"Don't even start Tugger," the queen snarled, springing down from the pile to face him, "I can tolerate it when you flirt with all the other kittens. But a kitten from another tribe, that is low even for you!"

Tugger fluffed his mane defensively.

"Bomba, Asteria is not from another tribe. She is just new and anyway-"

"Just shut up!" The queen's fur was standing on end. She let out a throaty growl and lashed her tail. "I am sick and tired of all your excuses!"

"Will you just listen to me?" Tugger growled, facing her with anger growing in his eyes. He lashed his own tail and gave a low hiss.

Asteria stared at both of them, panicked.

"Please don't fight!" she pleaded, "I wasn't trying to steal Tugger, honestly! I just-"

"Keep out of this brat!" The scarlet queen snarled.

"Don't talk to her like that Bombalurina!" Tugger swiped the air in front of Bombalurina's face. She hissed in retaliation and bared her teeth.

"Stop it please!" Asteria wailed, but Bombalurina launched herself at Tugger, yelling "You son of a pollicle!" She tore at his mane and kicked him in the gut. Tugger yowled and tried to pull her off him, but she just sunk her claws in deeper.

"Don't!" Asteria seized Bombalurina's arm and began to drag her off her father, but Bomba scratched her across the face. She tumbled off the couch, her face bleeding. Tugger managed to kick Bomba off him, but she just came right back, biting and scratching wildly.

"_This is all my fault_,_"_ Asteria thought, watching the two cats tearing at each other. She took off, running through the rapidly increasing darkness, toward Munkustrap's den, believing she had caused enough trouble for one day.


	10. The Family Genes Shining Through

Chapter 10: The family genes shining through

Asteria woke up in shredded blanket inside Munkustrap's den. Yawning, she got up and stretched, peering around. The den was empty, but a small, freshly killed swallow was lying next to her. Smiling, she tore into the feathers and chewed the tender breast of the bird. Some of the feathers began sticking to her face and to her surprise it stung severely.

She brushed the feathers off her face and peered at her reflection on a metal pipe. The distorted glass showed three deep scratches across her face, running from right under her left eye across her nose. She sighed and gingerly began cleaning the cuts, wincing from the pain.

"Are you alright Asteria?" Munkustrap had just entered the den, wiping mud from his paws.

"Yes," Asteria managed to smile, "Just trying to get cleaned up."

"Well, if you are feeling up to it, Jemima wanted me to tell you she wants you to play with her and meet her friends," Munkustrap told her.

Asteria nodded.

"Tell her I'll be out in a minute."

"Okay," Munkustrap turned around and trotted back out into the sunlight.

Asteria gave her mane a quick wash, and then wandered out into the junkyard. She had realized that during the past few days, she hadn't really had time to relax, except when she was with Mungojerrie, and right now she really didn't want to think about him. So she thought she might as well have a little fun with her cousin, after all, she was family.

The kittens were all draped in the corner of the junkyard, chatting. The white one, Victoria, had returned, although she still looked exceedingly bored. Jemima turned her head when she saw Asteria and darted toward her.

"Hey Asteria!" she beamed, "Glad your awake. Come on, I'll introduce you to my friends!"

Etcetera, Electra and Victoria looked over at her and smiled.

"So, you're the new cousin Jem keeps going on about," Victoria smiled, "I'm Vicky."

"Electra," Electra nodded.

"I'm Etcetera!" Etcetera squealed, tripping over her paws in her attempt to reach her.

"I'm Asteria," Asteria smiled.

"So Asteria, how do you like the junkyard so far?" Victoria asked.

"Well it's very different from the country," Asteria shrugged, "But I think I prefer it. The country was just so dull."

"Yeah who'd want to live in the country?" Etcetera asked, chuckling as she batted at her own tail, "Nothing but fields of grass as flat as fish, but here you get bumpy terrain with no end of adventure!"

"True," Electra nodded, deciding to join Etcetera in her pursuit and seized Etcetera's tail. She squealed and pounced on Electra, tugging at her fur and laughing. Asteria giggled at the two little queens, when Jemima leapt on her back and pulled her into the fray. Asteria burst into a fit of giggles and began tugging at someone's fur, she couldn't tell whose. Victoria shrugged and sprung into the huddle, letting loose for the first time since Asteria met her.

Suddenly, two pairs if paws reached into the huddle and pulled Asteria out. Asteria found herself looking into the faces of two tom kittens, around the age of Etcetera and Electra. The one on the left was a cream, black and tan tabby with a large patch of tan covering his left eye. The one on the right was brown and white with a large patch of brown covering his right eye.

"We spotted a different color fur in the huddle," the brown and white tom smirked, "Who are you?"

"Asteria," she wriggled out of their grasp, "Who are you?"

"I'm Tumblebrutus," the brown and white tom grinned, "And this is Pouncival."

Pouncival smiled toothily. The queens detached themselves from each other to look at the toms.

"Tumble, Pounce, why'd ja stop our fun?" Jemima pouted.

"And good morning to you to Jem," Pouncival chuckled, "We were just in the neighborhood and wanted to get introduced to your new friend."

"Who's very cute by the way," Tumblebrutus stated boldly, nuzzling Asteria's mane, "Nice and fluffy. Me like."

"Get off me!" Asteria clawed him off her, only to feel Pouncival playing with her tail. She jerked it out of his reach.

"Hey, what's gotten into you Tumble?" Electra asked, looking very hurt, "You never nuzzle me like that, but you'll nuzzle someone you've only just met?"

Tumblebrutus shrugged.

"I don't know what it is about your friend Asteria," he admitted, "But something about her makes her irresistible."

Pouncival nodded in agreement, stretching and purring deeply. Etcetera threw him a look of loathing.

"Look you two," Asteria said, trying to sound like an adult queen, "I really don't want to come between you and queens who obviously love you." She smiled at Electra and Etcetera, who blushed deeply.

"Awe Etcetera would never go with me," Pouncival shrugged, "The only tom in her sights is a big golden main coon."

A very dreaming look came over Etcetera's face. "Tugger," she purred, happily.

"See what I mean," Pouncival shrugged.

Asteria, who had winced slightly at the mention of Tugger, whispered in Pouncival's ear, "Give it time. She'll soon grow to learn that Tugger is unobtainable."

"Hey, what's going on over here?"

Two more toms had just come over to the group. These two looked a little bit older than all of them. The larger one was a red, black and white marble tom, while his smaller, younger companion was a black and white tuxedo cat.

"Nothing," Victoria smiled warmly, trotting over to rub heads with the black and white tuxedo tom.

Asteria smiled. This must be her mate, Plato. Suddenly the larger cat butted the tuxedo cat out of the way so he could rub heads with Victoria.

"Vicky, Vicky, Vicky," the tom chuckled, "I know Mistofelees is your best friend, but don't you forget who your mate is."

"Of course not," Victoria smiled broadly, "I could never forget you Plato." She nuzzled against him, but Asteria couldn't help but notice the disappointment in her eyes. Apparently though, she was the only one.

"Get a den!" called out Pouncival, and all the others laughed. Except for the tuxedo cat, who scratched himself behind the ear and heaved a disappointed sigh.

"Hi Misto!" Jemima beamed, scampering over to greet the tuxedo cat.

"Hello Jem," Mistofelees smiled, cuffing her playfully on the head. He then caught sight of Asteria. "Who's your new friend?" he asked, eyes widening.

"That's my cousin, Asteria," Jemima told him, smiling as always.

"Hello," he purred, his voice suddenly becoming deeper, more mature, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am magical Mr. Mistofelees, the world's greatest conjuring cat! Let me demonstrate."

He clapped his paws and suddenly as shower of sparks rained down on them. The queen kittens squealed and the tom kits leapt to try and catch them. Victoria turned away from Plato to stare in wonder. Plato snorted and gave a whiny growl. Asteria smiled as the sparks fizzled out before they touched her face.

"And that's not all!" Mistofelees spun in a circle before clapping his paws again. A single orb of light hovered in the air in front of Asteria. He simply sat for a moment before shifting to form the shape of a heart.

"Awe!" the queen kittens sighed, except for Victoria, who pawed the ground, but didn't speak up.

"That's very sweet," Asteria told Mistofelees, "But I am going to have to give you this back." She nudged the heart away from her, back towards him. It fizzled out and died and Mistofelees shook his head and blinked.

"Sorry," he murmured, looking embarrassed, "I forgot I promised my heart to someone else."

"Ooooooooooooh!" the kittens squealed.

"But I forgot it that the moment I saw you," he blushed, "That's never happened before."

"It's all right," Asteria smiled at him; at least he was being more mature about it.

"Awe Mr. Twinkletoes is in love!" Plato chuckled, walking over to cuff Misto on the head again, "Who is it Misty, Rum Tum Tugger?"

"No!" Mistofelees burst out, "Yuck!"

Everyone was laughing now, except for Asteria. Her father truly was the talking point of the junkyard.

"Well you could've fooled me," Plato continued, "Why did he sing your song during the Jellicle ball?"

"I lost my voice, okay!" Mistofelees snarled, the fur standing up on the back of his neck, "I sang a lot of the chorus parts and I lost my voice!"

"Are you sure you weren't just awe struck by the great Rum Tum Tugger?" Plato fluffed up his fur and began prancing around. "Oh Tugger!" he squealed, sounding remarkably like Etcetera, "I love your big poofy mane and your manly spotted chest! I want to feel your paws on my body. I hope you won't mind the glitter raining down on you." He then began marching like a police policle and said in a gruff voice, "Of course not Misty, I love it when glitter rains down on my body. You make me feel so alive, because I am Rum Tum Tugger, the worlds biggest- Oooof!"

Plato was knocked to the ground as Asteria began clawing at his face. She was so angry she could barely breath.

"Don't . . . talk . . . about . . . him . . . like . . . that!" she snarled, tearing at every part of him she could reach, "You evil conniving son of a-"

Suddenly Asteria was yanked up into the air. She squirmed to get a look at her captor and saw Tugger holding her up and looking at her with distain.

"Asteria, what on earth is going on?" Tugger asked.

"TUGGER!" squealed Etcetera, running forward to rub up against him.

"Not now Etcetera!" Tugger nudged her to the side. Etcetera tumbled over and looked him with astonishment.

"Aren't you glad to see me?" she asked, pouting her lips and widening her eyes.

"Of course I am, but right now, I need a word with Asteria," he turned away, carrying Asteria. The kittens watched and Etcetera gave a small sniff. Pouncival hopped over and nuzzled her shoulder.

"He'll be back Etty," he smiled.

Etcetera turned to him. "You think so?" she asked.

"Of course," Pouncival said, both happy and sad, "He's Rum Tum Tugger!"


	11. Resolutions

Chapter 11: Resolutions

"Tugger, will you please put me down now?" Asteria asked.

"In a minute," Tugger was moving rapidly and Asteria could feel her body bouncing and shaking as he moved. Finally he set her down in front of a small cozy den made of the bed of a truck. A moth-eaten queen sized quilt padded it and a small pile of bones lay in the corner.

"Not exactly the cleanest den," Asteria crinkled up her nose.

"I know, but it's home." Tugger hopped into the center of the quilt and beckoned to Asteria. She paused for a moment before hopping up to join him.

"I was originally going to talk to you about last night," he began, pacing over to the back of the truck, "But first I want to talk to you about what happened with Plato."

"I wasn't my fault-" Asteria started, but Tugger cut her off.

"I don't care whose fault it was," Tugger sighed, pulling a rat out from under the blankets, "Fault is a truly kittenish word. All I want to know is why you thought you had to fight him?"

Asteria looked down at her paws, blushing.

"Here," he nudged the rat in front of her, "have some."

Asteria took a small bite and chewed slowly, contemplating what to say.

She settled on, "here you have some."

Tugger smiled and tore a chunk of the rats' hindquarters off. Asteria noticed he had a small bruise on his cheek. For a while, it was completely quiet, except for the gnawing of meat and bone.

Finally, Asteria wiped a trickle of blood from her chin and said, "Plato was mocking you and Mistofelees. I just wanted him to shut up."

Tugger's eyes widened.

"You were standing up for your old man?" he asked.

Asteria shrugged and smiled.

"You and Mistofelees," she told him, "Plato kept saying you two were in a relationship."

Tugger burst out laughing.

"Me and Mistofelees?" he chortled, "That's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard!"

Asteria began laughing too. Tugger was infectious!

When the laughter died down, Tugger put a paw on Asteria's paw.

"Misto and I are just good friends," he smiled, "I've got a soft spot for that little magician."

"Plato was teasing him because he has a soft spot for someone else" Asteria reported.

"Really?" Tugger scratched his head, "Well if it is who I think it is, there is going to be trouble."

"Who?" Asteria asked.

"Vicky," Tugger admitted, "Misto has always had a soft spot for Vicky and she for him. But she was betrothed to Plato and can have no say in the matter. If Mistofelees truly loves Victoria, he'll have to fight with her at the next Jellicle Ball."

Asteria said nothing. She looked up into the sky and saw the sunbeams streaming out from behind the clouds.

"Look Tugger," she pointed, "The entrance to the Heavyside layer."

Tugger smiled at his daughter. "I'm glad Lillypaw taught you the ways of the Jellicle tribe."

Asteria's lip trembled at the thought of her mother. Tugger nuzzled her head.

"Don't cry," he murmured, "She still loves you and . . ." Tugger sniffed a little himself, "And so do I."

Suddenly Tugger shook his head and straitened up.

"Oh Heavyside, I almost forgot!" He stood up and walked over to the door of the truck. He pulled it open and the beautiful queen, Bombalurina hopped onto the flat bed. Asteria opened her mouth, but Bombalurina spoke first.

"Asteria, I want to apologize to you," she blushed, "Tugger explained everything to me after I had clamed down. I am truly sorry for doing that to you." She pointed at the scratch across Asteria's face. "Let me clean it up for you."

"No thank you," Asteria shook her head, "I already cleaned up."

"Really?" Bombalurina squinted at the cut, "Well, you did a very good job. But to make it up to you, I want you to have this." She held out a catnip mouse in her paw and Asteria pounced on it. Flopping onto her back, she licked it and clawed at it, the scent driving her wild. She had never encountered catnip before and it was beyond (almost) anything she had experienced.

"I got her wound up, you put her to bed," Bomba smirked, "Bye Tugs!" And she sprinted away.

"You traitor!" Tugger shouted after her, before swiping the mouse out of Asteria's grip.

"Don't play with this everyday," he told her, stowing it in the front of the truck, "It'll do funny things to you."

Asteria shook her head, then smirked.

"Oh, so that's what happened to you," she quipped.

"Oh you little tease!" Tugger laughed, tickling her side. Asteria laughed as her father tickled her, remembering how her mother would do the same thing. She looked up at Tugger and smiled.

"Thank you . . ." she took a deep breath, "For letting me into your life, daddy."

Tugger blinked back tears and pulled her into a deep hug. The two showered each other with nuzzles, purrs, licks and happy words. Up on top of a refrigerator, an orange, black and white calico tom watched the father and daughter frolic happily together for the first time.

"_She's gonna be alrigh'"_ he thought.


	12. Epilogue: The First Jellicle Ball

Epilogue: The First Jellicle Ball

"Rum Tum Tugger is a terrible bore!" Asteria sang out. Her father was strutting about the Junkyard, queens clambering over each other to get to him. Asteria was perched on the sidelines, feeling it would be weird to join them. She merely bopped her head, laughing as Bombalurina fell hard on the ground and plugging her ears against Etcetera's ear wrenching shriek. She joined in when Tugger played his tail like a guitar, singing into her own fluffy one like a microphone.

It was a few months after celebrating her birthday and Asteria had never so much fun. The Jellicle ball was a whole new experience for her. Never before had she heard the meaning of a cat's three names or dressed up like a cockroach, but now she had and loved every minute of it. Her father just finishing his song and Asteria trotted up to him.

"Lovely dancing father," she smirked, "Have you ever miscalculated a thrust so that someone got a mouthful of-"

Tugger cuffed her head.

"Watch your language," he told her, but had a hard time not smiling.

Bustopher Jones came waddling on now, bowing deeply to his nephew, Mistofelees. Asteria turned away as he sang, stuffing her tail into her mouth to keep from laughing. Suddenly lightening flashed and a siren sounded from somewhere. Asteria fluffed up her mane, looking around nervously. She caught sight of a huge orange and white cat with a snarled orange mane and deep red scars on his face. Asteria was so scared she couldn't speak, but Demeter could.

"Macavity!" she called out and everyone scattered. Asteria ran into the pipe Mistofelees came out of, crouching down in the ankle deep slime.

Then a familiar high pitched giggle echoed in the air, followed by a loud "shush!" Rumpleteazer slunk out of hiding, carrying a bag of stolen goods. Mungojerrie followed her with his own bag. Asteria sighed, watching Mungojerrie sing and dance with his sister. She found herself purring deeply, as electric currents tickled her very core. She licked her lips as the two sung out, "An' there's nuthin' at all to be done abou' that!"

The other Jellicle's ran out of hiding, pretending to chase them off. Asteria tugged Mungojerrie's tail playfully. He smiled at her and winked.

That was when Old Deuteronomy appeared. Asteria, who had met the leader the day she was officially accepted into the Jellicle tribe, ran forward to hug her grandfather tenderly. He stroked her head as all the others crowded around them. Munkustrap led his father up onto his usual perch and Jemima crawled into his lap.

Now this was supposed to be when the cats put on the skit they had prepared for Old Deuteronomy, but this year, somebody had other plans. Lightning crackled once more as Macavity leapt into view with a great roar! The cats shrieked with fear!

"I realize I have been going about this the wrong way!" Macavity roared, "I must not cause my father pain, I must take the thing I am entitled to!"

Demeter screamed with fear as Macavity stalked towards her. Munkustrap tried to get to her, but Macavity had hired extra helpers since last time and his henchmen held him back. Macavity seized Demeter and pulled her to the ground.

"Bring Munkustrap over here!" he yelled to his henchmen.

They dragged Munkustrap over.

"I want you to watch Munkustrap while I mate with this beautiful queen," Macavity leered, stroking his paw along her neck before starting to lick it. Demeter squirmed, but then just lay still. She had given up and was trembling.

"I saw this happening in my nightmares," she whimpered.

"I saw you in my dreams too," Macavity growled softly, the closest thing to a purr he could manage. He started to rub his paws over her body.

"You son of a pollicle!" Munkustrap bellowed, thrashing with all his might but being unable to break free, "Let her go, I beg of you brother, I'll give you anything you want!"

"All I want is Demeter," Macavity sneered, shifting into the proper position. Demeter had silent tears coursing down her cheeks and Jemima was bawling, terrified for her mother.

Asteria was fighting tooth and claw to get away from her captor, but he held firm. All the Jellicles were trying desperately to help Demeter, but Macavity's henchmen were too numerous.

Then Mungojerrie managed to claw his way through the guard and flung himself at Macavity! He dragged him off Demeter and began to claw and bite ferociously.

"'Ow dare you come 'ere!" Mungojerrie snarled, "No one deserves tuh suff'ah at you'ah 'ands! Like Demeter, like me and mah sistah!"

Macavity flung him off his back and grabbed him by the throat. Asteria screamed and fought harder then ever, but her captor would not budge.

"You weakling!" Macavity spat in Mungojerrie's face, "I gave you the chance to join me and you stay with these nothings!"

Mungojerrie gasped for air, starting to foam at the mouth. But he aimed a clawed kick at Macavity's gut and he released him. Mungojerrie pinned Macavity on the ground and clawed him across the face. Blood dripped from the reopened wounds and Macavity spat some out of his mouth.

Mungojerrie put his claws on Macavity's throat. He stared into the eyes of the tom that murdered his parents. He longed to tear out Macavity's throat, end the wicked toms life. But something held him back. Keeping his claws out and ready, he let Macavity rise.

"What are you doing?" the Jellicles in general called out, "Finish him off!"

Mungojerrie shook his head.

"Leave Macavity," he snarled.

Macavity, badly winded shuffled off, leering at the Jellicles.

"Mungojerrie," he snarled, "You have just made a very serious mistake. Let's go!"

Macavity's henchmen broke their ranks and followed their boss out of the Junkyard.

Munkustrap ran to Demeter and held her tenderly, licking and nuzzling her face. Rumpleteazer flung her arms around her brother, sobbing that she thought she'd never see him again.

"Shh, Teaz'ah. I'm alright," Mungojerrie soothed her, then turned as Asteria pressed her head against his side.

"Thank you Asteria," Mungojerrie smiled.

"For what?" Asteria asked, confused.

"If you 'aden't told meh not to kill Macavity, 'e'd be dead," Mungojerrie nuzzled Asteria's head, "An' I don' wanna be like 'im."

Asteria licked him on the cheek. "You're not," she whispered.

After recovering from the shock, the Jellicle ball continued. The skit forgotten, the toms began to flaunt their skills, trying to impress the queens. Mistofelees leapt towards Victoria, spinning and hopping like a top. Victoria smiled. When he stopped, she stretched out a paw towards him. Plato sprung out of nowhere, hissing at Mistofelees. He hissed back and the fight began.

Plato had the size and strength advantage, but Mistofelees had magic. The fight only lasted a few minutes before Plato limped off, most of the fur singed off his body. Mistofelees, who had no reason to dance anymore, sat down with Victoria and nuzzled her head.

Asteria smiled, before noticing that most of the toms were flaunting for her attention. But she refused to notice any of them until the music slowed down. Slinking forward she caught Mungojerrie's eye. He beamed and approached her slowly.

"Are ya sure?" he whispered in her ear when she got close enough.

Asteria nodded.

"From the moment I saw you," she whispered back.

So Mungojerrie began nuzzling the side of her face, tenderly nipping at her neck. Asteria purred deeply, the sparks becoming flames as Mungojerrie scratched his claws lightly down her back. He then lifted her up with her legs spread out, just like her mother two years ago. Mungojerrie rubbed her inner thigh and Asteria purred harder. Lowering her across another cats back, Mungojerrie scratched his paws across Asteria's chest and she moaned out loud.

Mungojerrie moaned as her lay her own the ground and positioned himself between her legs. "I love ya Asteria," he whispered, licking her face and tangling his paws in her mane.

Happy tears filled her eyes and she licked his face in return. "I love you too," she responded.

Rum Tum Tugger looked up from Bombalurina as when her heard his daughter yowl. But he smiled at what he saw. He knew his daughter would be fine.


End file.
